Song of Songs 3
11 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse
עַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃
al-mishkavi ballelot biqqashti et she'ahavah nafshi biqqashtiv velo metsativ
Upon my couch at night I sought the one I love— I sought, but found him not.
אָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א וַאֲסוֹבְבָ֣ה בָעִ֗יר בַּשְּׁוָקִים֙ וּבָ֣רְחֹב֔וֹת אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃
aqumah na va'asovevah va'ir bashevaqim uvarekhovot avaqshah et she'ahavah nafshi biqqashtiv velo metsativ
“I must rise and roam the town, Through the streets and through the squares; I must seek the one I love.” I sought but found him not.
מְצָא֙וּנִי֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים הַסֹּבְבִ֖ים בָּעִ֑יר אֵ֛ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם׃
metsa'uni hashomerim hassovevim ba'ir et she'ahavah nafshi re'item
The watchmen came upon me While patrolling the town— “Have you seen the one I love?”
כִּמְעַט֙ שֶׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי מֵהֶ֔ם עַ֣ד שֶׁמָּצָ֔אתִי אֵ֥ת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ וְלֹ֣א אַרְפֶּ֔נּוּ עַד־שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֔י וְאֶל־חֶ֖דֶר הוֹרָתִֽי׃
kimat she'avarti mehem ad shemmatsati et she'ahavah nafshi akhaztiv velo arpennu ad-shehavetiv el-bet immi ve'el-kheder horati
Scarcely had I passed them When I found the one I love. I held him fast, I would not let him go Till I brought him to my mother’s house, To the chamber of her who conceived me
הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּע֥וֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ {ס}
hishbati etkhem benot yerushalai͏m bitsva'ot o be'aylot hassadeh im-ta'iru ve'im-te'oreru et-ha'ahavah ad shettekhpats
I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem, By gazelles or by hinds of the field: Do not wake or rouse Love until it please!
מִ֣י זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר כְּתִֽימְר֖וֹת עָשָׁ֑ן מְקֻטֶּ֤רֶת מֹר֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל אַבְקַ֥ת רוֹכֵֽל׃
mi zot olah min-hammidbar ketimerot ashan mequtteret mor ulevonah mikkol avqat rokhel
Who is she that comes up from the desert Like columns of smoke, In clouds of myrrh and frankincense, Of all the powders of the merchant?
הִנֵּ֗ה מִטָּתוֹ֙ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה שִׁשִּׁ֥ים גִּבֹּרִ֖ים סָבִ֣יב לָ֑הּ מִגִּבֹּרֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
hinneh mittato shellishlomoh shishim gibborim saviv lah miggibbore yisra'el
There is Solomon’s couch, Encircled by sixty warriors Of the warriors of Israel,
כֻּלָּם֙ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב מְלֻמְּדֵ֖י מִלְחָמָ֑ה אִ֤ישׁ חַרְבּוֹ֙ עַל־יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִפַּ֖חַד בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃ {ס}
kullam akhuze kherev melummede milkhamah ish kharbo al-yerekho mippakhad ballelot
All of them trained in warfare, Skilled in battle, Each with sword on thigh Because of terror by night.
אַפִּרְי֗וֹן עָ֤שָׂה לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מֵעֲצֵ֖י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃
appiryon asah lo hammelekh shelomoh me'atse hallevanon
King Solomon made him a palanquin Of wood from Lebanon.
עַמּוּדָיו֙ עָ֣שָׂה כֶ֔סֶף רְפִידָת֣וֹ זָהָ֔ב מֶרְכָּב֖וֹ אַרְגָּמָ֑ן תּוֹכוֹ֙ רָצ֣וּף אַהֲבָ֔ה מִבְּנ֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
ammudayw asah khesef refidato zahav merkavo argaman tokho ratsuf ahavah mibbenot yerushalai͏m
He made its posts of silver, Its back of gold, Its seat of purple wool. Within, it was decked with love By the maidens of Jerusalem.
צְאֶ֧נָה ׀ וּֽרְאֶ֛ינָה בְּנ֥וֹת צִיּ֖וֹן בַּמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה בָּעֲטָרָ֗ה שֶׁעִטְּרָה־לּ֤וֹ אִמּוֹ֙ בְּי֣וֹם חֲתֻנָּת֔וֹ וּבְי֖וֹם שִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ׃ {ס}
tse'enah ure'enah benot tsiyyon bammelekh shelomoh ba'atarah she'itterah-llo immo beyom khatunnato uveyom simkhat libbo
O maidens of Zion, go forth And gaze upon King Solomon Wearing the crown that his mother Gave him on his wedding day, On his day of bliss.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
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